Speakeasy, darling
by AdequateNerd
Summary: It's her birthday and she'll spend it how she wants, even if that's dancing with a stranger who just wants to consume alcohol the rest of his evening and not play twenty questions with her.


Guests? Gone.

Dad? Sound asleep.

Butler? Practically dead from fatigue.

Asami herself? Climbing out her bedroom window, shoes in hand.

The Sato princess releases her grip on her window sill and drops onto the grass below. She puts on her shoes while she makes her way to the garage, opening it up.

She loves her dad dearly and knows that he loves her more than the world itself, but the birthday party he threw her was a little too grown up. Maybe she'd appreciate it more if she were twenty-five, but as it turns out, she's _just_ nineteen.

_Happy birthday, hotshot._

She sits in one of her new cars, one of the many presents from her father, and winks at her reflection in the rear-view mirror once she's done adjusting it, as well as her sequin headband.

* * *

He's retreating to his quarters, another day of training future chi blockers himself and well as planning the revelation done. Closing the door behind him, he removes his hood and unties the strings that hold his mask, dropping it onto the table in the room. Walking to his bed, he glances at his reflection in the mirror on the wall momentarily before lying down, waiting for sleep to take him. It does not, however.

His quarters are stuffy and hollow, and he needs to get out and actually breath some fresh air.

However, one cannot simply leave an underground hideout, especially if that one happens to be the leader of the Equalists.

Amon moves to stand before the mirror, taking in his fake scar before motioning his head to the side, bending water from a cup he keeps in his room to move for his face, and washing the scar away before he sends it back where he left it.

He puts his mask and hood back on before grabbing a bag of civilian clothing he keeps handy, and leaves the room.

Amon may not be able to go out and get a drink, but Noatak certainly can.

And he needs one.

* * *

After picking up her friends Kei and Jai, Asami makes for their favourite speakeasy: Tsuki's. Once they arrive, the girls hop out of the car, their pearls and jewels shimmering and shining in the moonlight. A gentle knock on the back door of a building and Asami and her friends are inside, the owner singing her heart out on stage before winking at the young girls who just entered.

Asami waves back, blowing the older woman a kiss before she and her friends separate, their usual plan to circulate and eventually meet each other again in a few hours coming into play.

Asami's eyes scan the room for a suitable dance partner, and finds a young man only a handful of years older than herself at the bar alone. She puts on her most winning smile and waltzes over to him, asking him to dance.

Jai, who's on the other side of the bar, gives her a sly smile, obviously suggesting the worst. Asami rolls her eyes and sends a playful sneer in her friend's direction, who pretends to be mildly offended.

This is exactly how she wants to spend her birthday.

* * *

Noatak emerges from the hideout, clothes having been changed to a black suit. The mask is gone, hidden away in a bag somewhere further down the tunnel with the rest of Amon's attire.

Making his way through a few allies, he comes across Tsuki's, and decides to head in for a drink or two. He's been here before; it's the closest place that serves alcohol. Once he's at the back door he knocks once, and the bouncer opens up and steps aside for him to enter. Inside he sees countless couples dancing and swaying to the seductive sound of Tsuki and her band, and others sitting at tables or in booths, chatting the night away.

Noatak heads for the bar and orders himself a drink. The bartender nods and crouches down to fetch him his salvation, setting a glass on the table and pouring the liquid into it. Noatak watches with relaxed eyes, the sounds of people and life putting him into a state of ease that will have to last him about half a year before the Revolution starts and finishes. Possibly longer.

Before he can even bring the glass to his lips however, a pretty little thing much younger than himself fills the seat next to him.

"Come here often?"

He scoffs, closes his eyes, and downs his much needed alcohol.

* * *

Asami's dance partner, whose name escapes her, steps back and twirls her around and then straight into his chest. She chuckles on impact, and the two sway back and forth to what she thinks is their sixth song this evening. They rotate on the spot, Asami's eyes scanning the room for her friends; Kei's in a booth with a few other young men and women, and Jai is hitting on what looks like a man twice her age at the bar.

Oh.

Asami apologizes to her dance partner, who does his best to hide his displeasure of being ditched in the middle of the dance floor, before she makes her way to her friend. One thing she hates like about going out at this hour is the abundance of scumbags or gangsters who think they own the place and all the people in it, especially the girls.

_And_ Jai's need to flirt with every man on the planet.

This particular man didn't strike her as one of those, but Jai was definitely getting on his nerves, judging by his body language, and Asami was not in the mood to see if he actually _was_ one of those kind of guys. Maybe worse.

"Jai-" Asami interjects, grabbing her friend by the arm. Jai denies her however, ripping her arm from her grasp and remains glued to her seat next to the man. Asami rolls her eyes and glances at him, tan skin, dark hair, pale blue eyes not paying attention to either of them, and a jaw line that absolutely slays her. She didn't blame Jai at all. Still, she needs to get her friend away from the handsome man before she causes a scene or gets into any trouble, so she turns to him instead. "There you are. I've been looking _everywhere_ for you."

Noatak raises a brow and glances at the newer girl, recognizing her immediately: Hiroshi Sato's daughter. Tonight was her birthday if he recalls correctly, and so Hiroshi postponed their meeting. The man had designed new weapons and wanted to discuss them with him. They were to shift the balance between benders and non-benders, apparently.

"You still owe me a dance, remember?" Asami continues to lie. Jai raises a brow, and Noatak finishes his third drink before setting the glass down, and getting up.

"Right," he says, and before she knows it, he is escorting Asami to the dance floor, his hand on the small of her back as he moves her. She glances back at Jai who is just pouting at her before Kei drags her off to join her in the booth of people. Asami sends Kei a thank you smile that is returned, and turns her attention back to the man. As she does, he eases her into position and the two are swaying to the music in a matter of seconds.

"I'm sorry about my friend," she says, offering him an apologetic smile. He scoffs, a faint amount of amusement in his eyes. "She can get a little… _intense_ when she sees something she likes."

They dance together for several songs in silence, that fact slowly eating away at her inside; the lack of conversation practically kills her. With most of her dance partners, they'd have some sort of cute witty banter or just talk about the most random thing between twirls. She loves mystery as much as the next girl, but she just can't take the silence much longer. She has to know something about him. _Anything_.

"I didn't catch your name," she finally says. His lips curve into the tiniest smirk before he spins her around and has her back against his chest, bringing them cheek to cheek.

She actually has several retorts ready, she's quick with words, but once the sentence leaves his lips she almost melts into his chest, losing the feeling in her legs for a split second. His voice, deep and raspy, vibrates through her, and he just _has_ to tell her right in her ear.

"I didn't give it to you."

She clears her throat and regains some of her composure before he spins her around and they continue to sway.

"I'll give you mine if you give me yours," she suggests, a stupid grin playing at her lips so badly that she has to bite it. The line she drops is cheesy, but it might work.

"I don't think so," he says. She pouts as the next song starts to play.

"How about questions then?" she raises a brow, and he dips her so dangerously low that her breath is almost thrown out of her. He pulls her back up and she's holding onto him for her dear life, probably out of fear from falling to the ground. "My father always told me never to talk to strangers anyway. I should get to know you."

"You don't strike me as someone who listens to her father very often."

She chuckles, but presses on, "North or South? Water Tribe, that is."

"Neither," he responds, voice in her ear. He can feel her shiver. "Foggy Swamp Tribe."

"That is such a lie," she laughs, "Okay fine, are you a bender?"

He pauses, contemplates telling her a true statement about himself. He'll never allow his identities to collide, and she's just one girl who would never see his true face again. She's dancing with _Noatak_, a person who will soon disappear once the Equalists have risen and the Revolution takes hold of Republic City. For all she knows, this man's bending will be taken away, and _he'll_ be Amon for the rest of his days. His face will be scarred and unrecognizable underneath a mask that is almost never removed.

"Yes."

"A waterbender, right?"

"An airbender, actually."

Never mind.

She scoffs at his ridiculous lies. His smirk increases by a small margin. He didn't expect anything coming out on the dance floor with her, but this certainly was more amusing than he thought.

"How old are you?"

"Younger than your father, hopefully," he responds. She scoffs, her feelings somewhere between offended and highly amused. Neither of them are certain where though.

"Do you live in Republic City? Or are you just visiting?"

"I prefer moving around, but for the time being I'm here."

It's a true statement. He plans on heading to the Fire Nation once he rids Republic City of bending.

"Am I ever going to get a straight answer from you?"

"You're welcome to try."

She shakes her head, trying not to laugh. Still, she has a grin running from ear to ear.

"How about this," she starts, "Are you single?"

"I'm alone."

"Any family?"

"Do pets count?"

"Depends. Do you have any pets?"

"No."

"Any _human_ family members then?"

"A mother and father who gave me life."

"Are you really going to let me leave here without a shred of knowledge about you?" Asami raises a mildly irritated brow.

"Possibly," he shrugs lightly, "Perhaps if you asked better questions you'd know more."

"Oh-ho, so I'm at fault?" she laughs.

"If you say so."

"How about this," Asami starts, "Why don't _you_ ask _me _questions?"

"Why would I do that?"

"Why not?"

"Fair enough," he agrees, "Why do you want to know more about me?"

"Because apparently you don't want me to know anything about you, which only makes me want to know _that _much more," she smiles. "Next question."

"Why do you want me to ask you questions?"

"So you can get to know me."

"Because?"

"Because then you might be willing to answer my questions in return," she says, her responses coming immediately. "Keep going."

"Why are you here? Tonight."

"It's my birthday."

"Happy Birthday."

"Thank you," she beams, "Keep going."

He chuckles, "Why ask me to dance?"

"If I recall correctly, you dragged me out here," she smirks, "My friend is pushy, as I've told you."

"I'm a grown man. You don't think I can handle a teenage girl?"

"Not Jai," she laughs. "Run out of questions?"

"I don't care to ask any."

She smiles, falls into humming to the the music before she stops talking, and simply continues to dance with him. She can already tell it's late, and two songs later Kei and Jai are waiting for her at the edge of the dance floor.

"I have one more question."

"I thought I was asking them," he raises a brow, amused.

"You stopped, so I'm starting again," Asami smirks. "What would you do if I kissed you goodnight?"

His mouth starts to open for what she assumes is another smartass response, but she quickly brings a finger to his lips, effectively keeping them closed before she stands up on the balls of her feet to press her own red lips to the corner of his.

"Good night, supposed stranger from the Foggy Swamp Tribe," Asami says as she takes a step back. She makes her way to her friends who are doing their best to not giggle at their friend's sudden forwardness. Asami looks over her shoulder, "And to answer your question: no, I don't normally kiss mysterious men I dance with."

"I'm the exception?" he asks, still a little taken aback. But just a little. He was not expecting that.

"You're the exception," she winks.

* * *

_Aaand this is my pathetic attempt at contributing to the Amosami ship. I haven't written a real fanfic in ages. Years. It's been a while. Pardon my craptastic writing ;)_

_(Edited for tense errors & some tweaking for funsies. Thank you Remi letting me know!)_


End file.
